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5 greatest Milwaukee Bucks seasons of all time
5 greatest Milwaukee Bucks seasons of all time
As the regular season nears its conclusion, the Milwaukee Bucks are in prime position atop the Eastern Conference.
With the league’s best record, the Bucks recently became the first team in the NBA to clinch a playoff berth. Anchored by MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and All-Star Jrue Holiday, the Bucks have won 21 of their last 23 games prior to March 16.
66-16, NBA champions 1970-71
Oscar Robertson, left, poses next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after winning the lifetime achievement award at the NBA Awards on June 25, 2018 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.
The dynamic duo of center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) and guard Oscar Robertson guided the Bucks to the franchise’s first NBA title in the team’s third season.
Larry Costello coached the Bucks to a franchise-record 66 victories as Abdul-Jabbar won the MVP in his second season. Abdul-Jabbar averaged 31.7 points and 16.0 rebounds. While blocks weren’t an official stat yet, Abdul-Jabbar was adept at patrolling the paint as the focal point of the defense.
46-26, NBA champions 2020-21
Capped off by a historic 50-point performance by Antetokounmpo, the Bucks won the franchise’s first NBA title in 50 years.
Antetokounmpo amassed 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6 as the Bucks completed a comeback from down two games in the NBA Finals to defeat the Phoenix Suns. Antetokounmpo averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.8 blocks to secure Finals MVP.
How Culver’s is honoring Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo after 54-point performance
59-23, NBA Finals, 1973-74
Milwaukee Bucks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, right, lays up a winning basket over Boston Celtics Hank Finkel (29) to defeat the Boston Celtics 102-101 and tie the series at 3-3 in their NBA Championship game, Friday, May 11, 1974, Boston, Mass. Watching is Bucks Jon McGlocklin (14), and Oscar Robertson (1). (AP Photo)
This was Abdul-Jabbar’s penultimate season with the Bucks and the franchise’s last NBA Finals appearance before a 47-year drought. Despite a memorable game-winning hook shot by Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6, the Bucks lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games.
Abdul-Jabbar’s go-to move, the skyhook, took center stage for one of the most exciting Finals games ever. Abdul-Jabbar drained his classic shot with 3 seconds remaining in double overtime to propel the Bucks to a 102-101 road victory.
57-25, Eastern Conference Finals, 1985-86
When the Bucks transitioned into the Eastern Conference beginning in 1980-81, it signaled a new era for the franchise.
60-22 Eastern Conference Finals, 2018-19
It didn’t result in a championship but the 2018-19 campaign set the foundation for the return to annual contention for the Bucks during Budenholzer’s first season at the helm.
